Entries Tagged 'Health' ↓
July 27th, 2010 — About Me, Activities, Health
Sheep in the countryside of Buckinghamshire
Atkins Farm
Everyone Suiting up for Polo.
Polo Sticks
The Atkins Farm Mascot, Rocky the Dog.
Mini Photo Shoot with Clemmie and I.
Our Handsome Teacher and Extraordinary Polo Player, Clark Betz
The Wooden Horse used to practice swings.
Clark Teaches us how to properly hold the stick.
Miguel Takes a Swing
Clemmie Learns to Follow Through.
My Turn.
Ambiance, A Horse Shoe.
Miguel saddling up in the Practice Arena.
“Major” The World Renowed Polo Couched us for the 2nd half of the 3 hour lesson.
On my horse trying to find the ball.
Clemmie bonds with her horse.
End of The Lesson.
If your interested in Polo Lessons Visit the Website Below.
The Atkins Farm Polo Academy
The Atkins Stud Farm
Facebook Page
June 25th, 2010 — Article, Health
By: Tara Parker -Pope for The New York Times
In 1858, a British epidemiologist named William Farr set out to study what he called the “conjugal condition” of the people of France. He divided the adult population into three distinct categories: the “married,” consisting of husbands and wives; the “celibate,” defined as the bachelors and spinsters who had never married; and finally the “widowed,” those who had experienced the death of a spouse. Using birth, death and marriage records, Farr analyzed the relative mortality rates of the three groups at various ages. The work, a groundbreaking study that helped establish the field of medical statistics, showed that the unmarried died from disease “in undue proportion” to their married counterparts. And the widowed, Farr found, fared worst of all.
Farr’s was among the first scholarly works to suggest that there is a health advantage to marriage and to identify marital loss as a significant risk factor for poor health. Married people, the data seemed to show, lived longer, healthier lives. “Marriage is a healthy estate,” Farr concluded. “The single individual is more likely to be wrecked on his voyage than the lives joined together in matrimony.”
While Farr’s own study is no longer relevant to the social realities of today’s world — his three categories exclude couples living together, gay couples and the divorced, for instance — his overarching finding about the health benefits of marriage seems to have stood the test of time. Critics, of course, have rightly cautioned about the risk of conflating correlation with causation. (Better health among the married sometimes simply reflects the fact that healthy people are more likely to get married in the first place.) But in the 150 years since Farr’s work, scientists have continued to document the “marriage advantage”: the fact that married people, on average, appear to be healthier and live longer than unmarried people.
Contemporary studies, for instance, have shown that married people are less likely to getpneumonia, have surgery, develop cancer or have heart attacks. A group of Swedish researchers has found that being married or cohabiting at midlife is associated with a lower risk for dementia. A study of two dozen causes of death in the Netherlands found that in virtually every category, ranging from violent deaths like homicide and car accidents to certain forms of cancer, the unmarried were at far higher risk than the married. For many years, studies like these have influenced both politics and policy, fueling national marriage-promotion efforts, like the Healthy Marriage Initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. From 2006 to 2010, the program received $150 million annually to spend on projects like “divorce reduction” efforts and often cited the health benefits of marrying and staying married.
But while it’s clear that marriage is profoundly connected to health and well-being, new research is increasingly presenting a more nuanced view of the so-called marriage advantage. Several new studies, for instance, show that the marriage advantage doesn’t extend to those in troubled relationships, which can leave a person far less healthy than if he or she had never married at all. One recent study suggests that a stressful marriage can be as bad for the heart as a regular smoking habit. And despite years of research suggesting that single people have poorer health than those who marry, a major study released last year concluded that single people who have never married have better health than those who married and then divorced.
All of which suggests that while Farr’s exploration into the conjugal condition pointed us in the right direction, it exaggerated the importance of the institution of marriage and underestimated the quality and character of the marriage itself. The mere fact of being married, it seems, isn’t enough to protect your health. Even the Healthy Marriage Initiative makes the distinction between “healthy” and “unhealthy” relationships when discussing the benefits of marriage. “When we divide good marriages from bad ones,” says the marriage historian Stephanie Coontz, who is also the director of research and public education for the Council on Contemporary Families, “we learn that it is the relationship, not the institution, that is key.”
Continue Reading
June 24th, 2010 — Health
Here are some key benefits that come with bike riding:
1. It’s great for the environment.
2. You get the same aerobic workout riding a bike as you would jogging
3. It is much easier on the joints.
4. Save on gas.
5. Gain more energy.
6. Can be done anytime, anywhere.
7. The whole family can do it.
8. Increased heart and lung function.
9. Stronger leg muscles. (Remember to stretch before going on a serious bike ride)
10. Even those with arthritis can bike ride, and their joints will actually feel better afterwards.
I loved riding my Blue Beach Cruiser, named Blue Bell. I love making the effort to ride my bike and wind down from a stressful day. Bike riding keeps us healthy, busy and happy. As an adult I realize bike riding offers many benefits for the body, as well as for the spirit. – Taryn Cox for THE WIFE
Bicycling is a good cardiovascular exercise that could increase the health of your heart. A bike with several speeds will allow you to increase you fitness level as your cardiovascular function improves. Begin by riding at an easy speed over even ground. If what you want is a challenge change your terrain.
Bicycling is kind to the joints. As we get older we experience Joint pain especially in the knees as they Osteoporosis causes joint problems to worsen because of the lack of proper calcium levels in the bones. Bike riding offers exercise without pain. The aerobic benefit is comparable to jogging or running without the strain. Check that the seat height on your bike is adjusted to allow your legs full range of motion with each revolution. Full range of motion also promotes better circulation to the lower extremities which do the majority of the work in moving the bicycle.
Bicycling whips those leg muscles into shape. For muscular endurance, stick to a flat terrain, but adjust the speed of the bike as your strength improves. To avoid cramping, stretch thoroughly before and after each bike ride. Bicycling increases your balance. Learning to ride a bike is all about staying upright. To do that, you have to find a balance between your body and the bike. Maintaining that balance strengthens the core muscles of the abdominal region. Tightening the core muscles keeps you from falling off of the bike. The lower abdominals pull your legs back towards you body from the bottom of the cycling revolution. The lower back is also kept pain free by a strong balanced core.
June 23rd, 2010 — Health
The Lomax Way: Nutrition Tips for The Wife
1. Good, old fashioned H₂O….
Make sure you drink water (preferably bottled, distilled or filtered) and plenty of it! It helps to plump up your skin and rid your body of toxins, including fat!
2. Don’t eat or drink anything that your great grandmother wouldn’t recognise…
Our diets have evolved over the years to include foods and products which, if our great grandmothers were to come across, wouldn’t have a clue what it was – take Cheese Strings or a Skinny Mochachino for example! Generally, these are the things which are bad for us anyway.
3. Switch bad fats for good ones….
Out with the saturated fats and in with the omegas! Not only does it help your skin to glow, it also helps to maintain your hormone balance and support brain function. So to ensure you’re a happy wife with the wit and intelligence to impress even Einstein, make sure you get rid of those fatty foes!
4. Eat the Rainbow…..
Make sure each meal is packed with colour. In a day you should be ‘eating the rainbow’ (food items in colourful packaging do not count!) to ensure you’re getting a whole variety of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to protect your body.
5. Take a good multi-vitamin….
Although your diet will be balanced and you will get good levels of vitamins and minerals due to eating nutritionally dense foods, intensive farming has led to a decline in the quality of foods thus very often most people are not reaching optimum levels of micronutrients. A multi-vitamin will help to bridge the gap.
6. Chew your food properly….
If you inhale your food then you tend to eat double what you should be eating. Make sure you chew your food properly, not only does it ensure you don’t eat as much, it also helps with digestion.
7. Stop thinking about calories and start thinking about how food benefits you….
Some people will have a doughnut rather than eating lunch since in terms of calories, it equates to nearly the same. However, a doughnut will in no way give you the same nutritional benefit as a balanced meal, so, start to think about food as something that keeps you well, not just as a source of energy.
8. The first bite is always the best…..
With so many delicious gastronomic delights out there these days it’s not always easy to say no to yourself. Try just having a couple of teaspoons of a dessert to satisfy your craving, this will also prevent you from piling on the pounds!
9. Have the right kinds of snacks….
We’ve all suffered from that mid-afternoon slump and opt for the sugary pick me-up, but this will make you crave more sugar by unbalancing your blood sugar levels. Make sure you’re having a snack that is not refined/sugary to keep those hunger levels at bay. Try opting for a piece of fruit, a small pot of plain, natural yoghurt or a couple of oat cakes with cottage cheese instead.
10. Alcohol….
If you’re drinking alcohol remember to have some protein before. Alcohol sends your blood sugar levels soaring and the protein helps to lessen the impact so you don’t crave those carbohydrate heavy snacks. When drinking alcohol opt for non-sugary options i.e. soda instead of coke and if you’re drinking wine, limit yourself to half a bottle (maximum), no more than 3 nights per week.
If you’re going to remember anything, remember this….. ‘If you put rubbish in, you get rubbish out….’ The science is simple! By Zoë Copsey, Lomax Bespoke Health – London.
What is ‘The Lomax Way’?
The biggest challenge to looking good and feeling great is how to balance having a fun and being good to yourself!
We have gathered some of the best specialists with over 20 years experience from all over the world to build a unique approach to reaching your goals as realistically and as fast as possible, empathizing with your lifestyle so you don’t have to sacrifice anything – we call this The Lomax Way.
The Lomax Way is unique - Like a concierge service, your Client Services Manager runs the day-to-day delivery of every service you need wherever and whenever you want it.
Think of this as a Virtual Wellness Centre with the sole focus on keeping you on top of your game even when you might be enjoying one too many cocktails! This is the same level of service as experienced by professional athletes or fashion models.
Contact: thelomaxway@lomaxpt.com
Web: www.lomaxpt.com
May 18th, 2010 — Health
My friend Nicole introduced me to Bar Method a few weeks ago and ever since I have been hooked. I thought my first class would be a breeze considering I take Ballet twice a week, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. This class was truly a challenge in every way possible, I literally could not finish every interval of each exercise. Luckily after a few classes under my belt and getting the hang of things… I’ve noticed a much more toned body and I have Bar Method to thank for a flatter stomach! Sign Up Now, Completely worth $22.00 a Class. - Taryn Cox
The Bar Method in Brief: The Bar Method™workout creates a uniquely lean, firm, sculpted body by combining the muscle-shaping principles of isometrics, the body-elongating practice of dance conditioning, the science of physical therapy and the intense pace of interval training into a powerful exercise format that quickly and safely reshapes and elongates muscles.
This is What you would expect from a Bar Method Class: The Bar Method targets all major muscle groups by contracting or stretching them by means of controlled isolations performed to music. After a simple warm-up to get the heart rate going and the muscles warm, students work the upper body with free weights, push-ups and stretches using the ballet bar. Next come challenging exercises for the lower body, most of them performed in various standing positions while holding onto the bar. The Bar Method’s workout continues with floor exercises for the abdominals and gluteals and concludes with a relaxing series of back and leg stretches.
How to The Bar Method Helps Sculpt Muscles and Lose Weight: The Bar Method shapes and elongates every major muscle group, burns away fat around these muscles, and then stretches them. The result is a clearly visible change in body shape. Muscles look longer and more defined, the body becomes leaner and more slender, and posture becomes more erect. The Bar Method exercise class is equivalent to interval training. It alternates between exercises that demand intense bursts of energy and deep stretches. This format produces both a high caloric burn and firmer muscle mass. Most students who do the Bar Method regularly become slimmer and lighter, sometimes within months.
How The Bar Method is Different from Pilates: The Bar Method workout is more intense than Pilates and so gives students greater stamina and muscle definition. Other differences are that Pilates works the small muscle groups, while the Bar Method works the large muscles groups, thereby adding muscle density and an increased metabolic rate. Pilates uses machines and mat-work to realign the core muscles, while the Bar Method uses the body’s own weight to isolate, strengthen and reshape.
The result is a noticeable “Bar Method” sculpted body featuring:
- Firm, elongated muscles
- Reduced body fat
- High muscle definition in the chest, upper arms and upper legs
- Improved posture
- Long, narrow thighs
- A lifted seat and defined hamstrings
- Strong, flat abdominals
- Increased stamina and energy
- Extended youthfulness
www.TheBarMethod.Com
April 23rd, 2010 — Beauty, Eco Friendlly, Health
Introducing a toothbrush that not only cleans your teeth, but minimizes your impact on the environment. The design includes a curved handle for those hard-to-reach places and a three-level bristle arrangement to massage your gums. And while the bristles are brand new, the coolest part is the handle is made from recycled yogurt cups and is BPA Free. Preserve Toothbrushes are not only made from recyclable materials, but they also have a Mail Back system. The Mail Back Pack is a revolutionary approach to packaging, the lightweight package doubles as a return envelope. Just pop your old used Preserve toothbrush inside and send it back to us for recycling free of shipping charges.
Since Dentist recommend you change toothbrushes every months. You can say goodbye to that toothbrush and shopping lists with Preserve’s subscription program. Every three months, a new Preserve Toothbrush is delivered to your door. Each subscription order contains one Preserve Toothbrush which is delivered to your door every three months for one year (four toothbrushes total with one travel case). – THE WIFE
Preserve toothbrushes are incredibly affordable $2.99 each or the subscription program for $13.00, They come in 5 different colors with bristles ranging in Ultra Soft, Soft and Medium.
www.PreserveProducts.Com
April 23rd, 2010 — Beauty, Eco Friendlly, Health
Since Today is Earth Day, I’ve decided to kick things off with an easy way for you WIVES to switch to Eco Friendly and Organic or All Natural Products.
Is your Oral Hygiene Green? Photographed above is an ordinary toothpaste brand you would find in any household. Toothpaste is a controversial issue because of two ingredients that some say are harmful: Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) and Fluoride. SLS is a foaming agent that is derived from coconut oil, It is used in brake fluid and anti freeze and also in a huge variety if skin care products, including toothpaste, shampoo, bubble bath and soap. It is not only a proven skin irritant but also known to be a carcinogenic. SLS is also linked to causing canker sores. Also floating around in that little tube of toothpaste is Hydrated Silica, Lead is a neurotoxin and a naturally occurring contaminant of Hydrated Silica. And chances are if your brushing with blue colored toothpaste that it has FD&C Blue, which is Coal Tar based dye.
Below is a great alternative and all natural toothpaste by Toms of Maine. Lets start with the packaging, All products are packed in environmentally sustainable post consumer recycled paper board and are printed with vegetable based inks. All plastics used by the company can be recycled (#5 polypropylene) and or packaged with biodegradable cellulose. Tom’s of Maine offers a variety of Toothpaste for everyone. Weather your looking for a fluoride free toothpaste or an SLS Free toothpaste, They’ve got what your looking for. They believe and use sustainable farming, absolutely no testing on animals and reject anything artificial. Best of all Toms of Maine is available at all Pharmacies, Target, and Whole Foods and costs the same as any other regular toothpaste. Why wouldn’t you switch! – THE WIFE
*And the easiest way to be environmentally kind is to turn off the faucet while your brushing!
www.TomsofMaine.Com
April 22nd, 2010 — Article, Health
Organic: What it means on different products
You see the word more and more, but what does it say about what it’s on? Here are tips for fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat, cosmetics, processed foods and cotton and coffee. By Julie Deardorff
Some consumers are more than willing to pay higher prices for organically grown food and other products. But is the extra dollar worth it? The answer may depend upon personal priorities.
By definition, organically grown foods are produced without most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge. Livestock aren’t given antibiotics or growth hormones. And organic farmers emphasize renewable resources and conservation of soil and water.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the National Organic Program, says organic is a “production philosophy,” adding that an organic label does not imply a product is superior. Moreover, some nutrition experts say, there’s no need to eat organic to be healthy: Simply choose less processed food and more fruits and vegetables.
To compare the nutrient density of organically and conventionally grown grapes, researchers would have to have matched pairs of fields, including using the same soil, the same irrigation system, the same level of nitrogen fertilizer and the same stage of ripeness at harvest, acknowledged Charles Benbrook, chief scientist at the Organic Center, a pro-organics research institution.
Last summer, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a comprehensive review concluding that organic and conventional food had comparable nutrient levels.
The study outraged some members of the organic community, who criticized the study for not addressing pesticide residues, a major reason people choose organic. Nor did the study address the effect of farming practices on the environment and personal health.
Maria Rodale, a third-generation advocate for organic farming, urges consumers to look beyond nutrition to the chemicals going into our soil, our food and our bodies. “What we do to our environment, we are also doing to ourselves,” said Rodale, chairwoman and chief executive of Rodale Inc., which publishes health and wellness content.
Here’s a closer look at some of the factors that may influence your decision whether to buy organic products.
Fruits and vegetables
Farmers using conventional practices treat crops with pesticides that protect them from mold, insects and disease but can leave residues. Organic fruits and vegetables have less pesticide residue and lower nitrate levels than do conventional fruits and vegetables, according to a 1996 scientific summary report by the Institute of Food Technologists.
The bottom line: Pesticide residue poses little risk to most consumers, health experts say. But fetuses and children are more vulnerable to the effects of synthetic chemicals, which can be toxic to the brain and nervous system, said Dr. Philip Landrigan, director of the Children’s Environmental Health Center at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
The Environmental Working Group, a public health advocacy organization, recommends buying organically grown peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes and pears because conventionally grown versions are the most heavily sprayed. Onions, avocados, sweet corn and pineapples have some of the lowest levels of pesticides.
As for nutrition, one French study found that, in some cases, organic plant products have more minerals such as iron and magnesium and more antioxidant polyphenols. But although mounting evidence suggests that soil rich in organic matter produces more nutritious food, “we are never going to be able to say organic is always more nutrient dense; that’s going beyond the science,” said Benbrook of the Organic Center.
Continue reading →
April 18th, 2010 — Health, Travel
Whether you are taking to the skies for business or pleasure, be prepared as you might suffer from “jet bloat,” the body’s increased volume of gas that occurs from airline travel – Seems your intestinal gases expand the higher you rise in altitude, which can lead to some uncomfortable bloating and pain. Chewing gum or sucking on candy to reduce the pressure in our ears while the plane is ascending can cause us to swallow even more air. Same for drinking caffeinated sodas — the more fizz, the more volume, experts say. The expansion of gases at high altitudes has been a topic addressed by the aeronautics industry for years. ”Everybody has noticed this,” experts said. ”Even though they don’t serve an awful lot of food anymore on the planes, the bags of chips are inflated like a little pillow. It wasn’t a little pillow on the ground.” The same thing happens in people. Most people carry about 400 milliliters of gas in their intestinal area, about the volume of a small cantaloupe, experts say. But people experiencing gassy problems may carry as much as a liter of gas. That volume at sea level can more than double at 30,000 feet. Fortunately for your neighbors, most of the resulting flatulence is odorless because it’s due to excessive air.
If you find yourself experiencing jet bloat and becoming gassier during airline travel, follow these guidelines for eating and drinking at the airport and while in flight:
- When scouring the food court, avoid anything that you’ve shown intolerance for on the ground. If milk intolerance is your downfall – avoid all dairy. Try to avoid foods that will probably make you gassy, such as fried foods, beans, bananas, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, or broccoli. If you get gassy, the volume will expand, even in the pressurized cabin as you reach flight altitudes – so there will be even more volume of gas, which can lead to discomfort from jet bloat.
- If you do eat gassy food, take over-the-counter Gas-X or CharcoCaps Homeopathic AntiGas Formula immediately, so you don’t inflate like a bag of pretzels as you reach cruising altitude. The AntiGas pills will stimulate the body’s defense system against the discomfort of intestinal gas.
- Drink beverages rich in electrolytes, such as tomato or fruit juices, which help with hydration. While water is also fine, avoid coffee, tea and sodas since they will dehydrate you, and the carbonation in the soda can cause gas issues. Since alcohol is also a dehydrator, hold off until you are on the ground at the hotel.
- Keep away from caffeinated drinks; instead, drink beverages rich in electrolytes, such as tomato or fruit juices.
The doctor says…
“Take bathroom breaks whenever the fasten-seat-belt sign goes off to keep blood and other body fluids circulating,” says Sandra Fryhofer, MD, a clinical associate professor of medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. “Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and salt — all of which cause water retention — and drink at least 8 ounces of water for every hour in flight. Once on the ground, drink a cup of hot green tea and take 500 milligrams of vitamin B complex; both are natural diuretics.”
The trainer says…
“When you can’t get up and stretch, shift position in your seat at least every half hour — cross your legs, prop your feet on your carry-on, or lean forward and interlace your fingers in front of you,” says Keli Roberts, creator of the Time-Saver DVD workout series. “When you land, walk for 15 minutes at a comfortable pace to get blood moving in your lower limbs.”
The scientist says…
“The day before a flight involving a time difference of six hours or more, eat your meals and go to sleep three hours earlier than you normally would. This will lessen jet lag and its side effects, like bloating, by helping your body get into sync faster in the new time zone,” says Hava Siegelmann, PhD, director of the biocomputation laboratory at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Trying to acclimate before you leave can help you get better adjusted — and feel less bloated — when you land.
Article From: FitnessMagazine.Com, Charocaps.Com, and Newsguide.Us
March 19th, 2010 — Health, Kids
For years, we’ve known about the epidemic of childhood obesity in America. We’ve heard the statistics—how one third of all kids in this country are either overweight or obese. We’ve seen the effects on how our kids feel, and how they feel about themselves. And we know the risks to their health and to our economy—the billions of dollars we spend each year treating obesity-related conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
But we also know that it wasn’t always like this. Back when many of us were growing up, we led lives that kept most of us at a pretty healthy weight. We walked to school every day, ran around at recess and gym and for hours before dinner, and ate home-cooked meals that always seemed to have a vegetable on the plate.
For many kids today, those walks to school have been replaced by car and bus rides. Afternoons playing outside have been replaced with afternoons inside with TV, videogames, and the Internet. And with many parents working longer hours, or multiple jobs, they don’t have time for family meals around the table anymore.
It’s now clear that between the pressures of today’s economy and the breakneck pace of modern life, the well-being of our kids has too often gotten lost in the shuffle.
And let’s be honest with ourselves: our kids didn’t do this to themselves. Our kids don’t decide what’s served in the school cafeteria or whether there’s time for gym class or recess. Our kids don’t choose to make food products with tons of sugar and sodium in supersize portions, and then have those products marketed to them everywhere they turn. And no matter how much they beg for fast food and candy, our kids shouldn’t be the ones calling the shots at dinnertime. We’re in charge. We make these decisions.
That’s actually the good news—that we can decide to solve this problem. That’s why we started Let’s Move, a nationwide campaign with a single goal: to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation, so that children born today can reach adulthood at a healthy weight.
Let’s Move is not about trying to turn back the clock to when we were kids, or cooking five-course meals from scratch every night. No one has time for that. And it’s not about saying no to everything either. There’s a place for cookies and ice cream, burgers and fries—that’s part of the fun of childhood.
Instead, Let’s Move is about families making manageable changes that fit with their schedules, their budgets, and their needs and tastes. It’s about giving parents the tools they need to keep their families healthy and fit, and getting more nutritious food—more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and less sugar, fat, and salt—into our nation’s schools. It’s about helping grocery stores serve communities that don’t have access to fresh foods, and finding new ways to help our kids stay physically active in school and at home.
Achieving all this won’t be easy. This isn’t something we can fix with a bill in Congress or an executive order from the president. I’ve spoken with many experts about this issue, and not a single one has said that the solution to childhood obesity is to have the government tell people what to do.
Instead, it’s about what all of us can do to help our kids lead active, healthy lives: parents making healthier choices for their families; mayors and governors doing their part to build healthier cities and states; and the private sector doing its part as well—from food manufacturers offering healthier options to retailers understanding that what’s good for kids and families can be good for businesses too.
That’s why I’ve been traveling the country, speaking to groups ranging from PTAs to food manufacturers, to elected officials, to school food-service employees, asking all of them to be a part of Let’s Move. And since this campaign began, several major school suppliers have already agreed to improve the quality of their food, doubling the amount of fresh produce they serve to our children. The nation’s largest beverage companies have agreed to provide clearly visible information about calories on the front of their products, as well as on vending machines and soda fountains. The American Academy of Pediatrics has begun urging its members to screen children for obesity and to actually write out prescriptions for parents detailing how to address it. And we’ve started a Web site—LetsMove.gov—with tips on eating well and staying fit.
Changes like these are only the beginning—and we’ve got a long way to go to reach our goals. But I’m confident that if we each do our part, and all work together, we can ensure that our kids have not just the opportunities they need to succeed, but the strength and endurance to seize those opportunities: to excel in school, pursue the careers of their dreams, keep up with their own kids, and live to see their grandkids grow up—maybe even their great-grandkids too. That is the goal of Let’s Move, and that is my mission as first lady. - Newsweek
March 19th, 2010 — Health, Kids
Look around anywhere in America and the reality assaults you: we are simply too big. Nowhere is the evidence for this more striking than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s color-coded obesity map. Between 1990 and 2008 the country morphs from a sea of pleasant blue, representing an obese population of less than 19 percent, to an alarming patchwork of tan, orange, and maroon, where the stats range from 21 percent obese in Connecticut to 32.8 percent in Mississippi.
The epidemic is most alarming among American children: rates have tripled among kids ages 12 to 19 since 1980, with one third of America’s youth now overweight or obese and almost 10 percent of infants and toddlers dangerously heavy. Obese kids, defined by a body-mass index at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex, are at risk for developing conditions in childhood once monopolized by adults: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. And many are stigmatized and suffer from low self-esteem, which can lead to depression. If current trends continue, nearly one in three kids born in 2000—and one in two minorities—will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime, according to the American Diabetes Association. The disease is linked to heart attack, stroke, blindness, amputation, and kidney disease. Indeed, a study published last month found that obese children are more than twice as likely to die prematurely as adults than kids on the lower end of the weight spectrum. In the U.S., new government data show an overall plateau of high BMIs in kids over the last 10 years—a hopeful sign. But “even without further increases in childhood obesity, the toll of the epidemic will mount for decades to come,” says Harvard’s Dr. David Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life program at Children’s Hospital Boston.
This goes way beyond fitting into our jeans or airline seats: the estimated annual cost of obesity in the United States is $147 billion. The problem even threatens our national security—being overweight is the No. 1 reason recruits are turned away from the military. Not so long ago, a lack of personal willpower was blamed. Today, obesity is considered a public-health threat, the toll of a toxic environment that endangers the well-being of our children and their future.
It’s not just us, either. “Globesity” has consumed much of the planet, with more than 1 billion adults overweight or obese. And while we’re not the fattest—Nauru, Micronesia, and a handful of other countries beat us—we’re very close to the top of the list. Urbanization, modernization, technology, and the globalization of food markets, which includes the exportation of Coke and burgers, has created a crisis of “epidemic proportions,” in the words of the World Health Organization.
But it’s America that has become the world’s preeminent fat-making machine. To dismantle it we need a coordinated, comprehensive plan of attack, one that pairs individual responsibility with a social construct that fosters good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. We need to be surrounded by food that makes us well, not sick. We need schools and workplaces that reward us for exercising our bodies, not just our brains. “If you want people to make the right choices, they need to have the right choices to make,” says Dr. William Dietz, director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. We need forceful and well-enforced policies, a government that invests dollars in improving the diet of school kids and puts limitations on the advertising that targets them. We need Americans to perceive obesity as a personal threat to themselves and to their children, not as somebody else’s problem. We have a long way to go.
Continue reading →
March 18th, 2010 — Health
I’m lucky enough to live in a city where the weather allows me to work out outdoors everyday. Running is the first thing I do when I hop out of bed in the morning. It’s the most fresh and invigorating wake up call and great way to start the day. Below is a great article on the Benefits that running can provide. – THE WIFE
There are a number of different benefits which an individual can gain from running on a regular basis. There are some runners who run simply for the joy of running but there are others who run because they realize there are a great deal of benefits which can be gained from rigorous exercise such as running. Some of these benefits may include weight loss, improved cardiovascular health, improved bone health, improved mood and better coordination. This article will briefly describe how running can result in each of these benefits.
Those who are looking to lose a few pounds often find running to be one of the most effective forms of exercise for helping them to achieve their ideal body weight. Running is an excellent form of exercise for losing weight because it requires a great deal of energy. This energy requirement means the body burns a large number of calories while running. The number of calories burned while running is typically significantly more than would be burned during less taxing forms of exercise such as walking or doing yoga. The simplest formula for weight loss includes burning off more calories than the individual consumes. When this type of calorie deficit is created, the body begins to shed excess weight in the form of fat. In order to lose one pound of body weight, the body must create a calorie deficit of 3500 calories. This is equal to burning 500 calories per day. Most runners can easily burn off this many calories in less than one hour of exercise. The number of calories burned while running depends on a number of factors including the individual’s weight, the intensity of the workout and the efficiency of the runner.
Improved cardiovascular health is another benefit of running. Some of the benefits of running include lowering the blood pressure and helping the arteries to maintain their elasticity. While running, the arteries expand and contract approximately three times as much as they do when you are sedentary. This means you are not only working out to improve your physical appearance but also the overall function of your body. In doing this the risk of heart attack and stroke becomes diminished.
Running is also beneficial for slowing down the aging process. Those who run regularly are less likely to experience bone and muscle loss as they age at the same pace as those who do not run regularly or at all. The bones grow and become stronger by responding to physical demands. Those who lead a rather sedentary lifestyle do not put this type of demand on their bones and as a result the bones may become weaker. When this happens the individual is more likely to be susceptible to osteoporosis as they age. Conversely, those who run on a regular basis are continually taxing their muscles and their bones so the bones are stimulated to remain stronger and do not as easily weaken with age.
Running can also have many psychological benefits. Most significantly runners typically report being happier and feeling less stressed than their counterparts who do not run or exercise regularly. Running actually has the ability to alter an individuals moods because hormones called endorphins are released while running. These hormones create a sense of euphoria often referred to as a runner’s high and can result in an improvement in the runner’s mood. Running has also been reported to alleviate stress in most runners. There are a number of factors which may contribute to running lowering stress levels. One of the most obvious reasons is the act of running allows the individual to focus on the task at hand instead of being worried or stressed about work, family or other stresses in his daily life. Additionally, running can be very challenging on the body which can result in the individual feeling a sense of accomplishment by completing the run which shifts the focus of his attention from negative stresses to a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Continue reading →
December 31st, 2009 — Health
Tomorrow is New Years Eve, many of you lovely wives will be ringing in the new year with a few glasses of Champagne or other alcoholic beverage. And since some of you have kids and husbands to take care of New Years day, Here’s a sure fire way to wake up with out a hangover.
- THE WIFE
Barroom wisdom posits that clear drinks like vodka and gin induce fewer hangovers than dark ones like brandy, red wine, or certain rums and tequilas. At least one study bears this out: When researchers gave volunteers the same dose of alcohol in the form of either bourbon or vodka, only 3 percent of those who drank the vodka reported a bad hangover the next day, compared to 33 percent of the bourbon drinkers. Scientists suspect that the compounds in darker liquors are to blame.
Food slows the absorption of alcohol, preventing the sudden spike in blood alcohol that’s often followed by actions you’ll probably regret—including more drinking. If, at the end of the night, you realize you’ve had too much, downing some crackers or fruit juice will slow metabolism of the alcohol still in your stomach, advises Swift. You should wake up feeling better in the morning.
You know the best way to avoid morning punishment is to drink less, but how do you do that when every time your glass empties, someone’s refilling it? Try this: Alternate a glass of booze with a glass of seltzer. You’ll halve the amount you drink and you’ll be well hydrated, thereby warding off the hangover symptoms caused by alcohol’s diuretic effect—headache, dry mouth, and light-headedness. – Oprah.com
Hangover Prevention Checklist:
Eat a Hearty Dinner
Drink a glass of Water for every alcoholic beverage consumed
2 Advil before Bed Time
Try to Eat Eggs for Breakfast
December 14th, 2009 — Health
While I recently contracted an annoying head cold, I was running through Whole Foods in a frenzy trying to get ingredients for dinner while dealing with uncontrollable sneezes. Since I didn’t have time to stop at Rite Aid for the usual Sudafed, I wandered over to the vitamin aisle. And lucky for me I did, because I discovered this amazing cold medicine that is entirely homeopathic and actually works! All you do is chew 2 each hour and they taste like little cubes of delightful sugar… Bonus! Hahaha! The only downside is one package will run you about $11.00 dollars.. But I found it well worth the price not to ingest tons of unknown chemicals into my body compared to other cold medicines.
Available at Whole Foods Market
December 14th, 2009 — Health
How healthy (or not) certain foods are—for us, for the environment—is a hotly debated topic among experts and consumers alike, and there are no easy answers. But when Prevention talked to the people at the forefront of food safety and asked them one simple question—“What foods do you avoid?”—we got some pretty interesting answers. Although these foods don’t necessarily make up a “banned” list, as you head into the holidays—and all the grocery shopping that comes with it—their answers are, well, food for thought:
1. Canned Tomatoes
The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A
The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. “You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,” says vom Saal. “I won’t go near canned tomatoes.”
The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe’s and Pomi.
2. Corn-Fed Beef
The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming
The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. More money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. “We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure,” says Salatin.
The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers’ markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It’s usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don’t see it, ask your butcher.
3. Microwave Popcorn
The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group,
The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. “They stay in your body for years and accumulate there,” says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.
The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.
4. Nonorganic Potatoes
The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board
The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation’s most popular vegetable—they’re treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. “Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won’t,” says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). “I’ve talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals.”
The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn’t good enough if you’re trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.
5. Farmed Salmon
The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.
The problem: Nature didn’t intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. “You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer,” says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. “It’s that bad.” Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.
The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it’s farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.
6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones
The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society
The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. “When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract,” says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. “There’s not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans,” admits North. “However, it’s banned in most industrialized countries.”
The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.
7. Conventional Apples
The expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods
The problem: If fall fruits held a “most doused in pesticides contest,” apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don’t develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it’s just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. “Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers,” he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson’s disease.
The solution: Buy organic apples. If you can’t afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first. – Prevention
November 7th, 2009 — Beauty, Health
Millions of women (and a few men) visit nail salons regularly to have their nails done. Unfortunately, occasionally the result of having manicures or pedicures is developing nail fungus or bacterial infections that can not only look bad, but also may also feel even worse. A few simple steps before your next salon service can significantly lower your risk of developing a painful nail infection or fungus, or worse, a more serious disease.
Check out the salon for cleanliness and safety precautions. Don’t be afraid to ask for a quick tour if you are considering a new salon, or asking the owner or manager of your current salon what steps they take to ensure safety. And take a look around. Does the salon look clean and sanitary? Is the trash container properly bagged and covered? Is the floor clean? Are the manicure tables kept neat and tidy? Is there good light? Look at the disinfectant containers and make sure that they are clear, clean, and free of debris.
Next, check the station where your service will take place. Ask if all instruments are cleaned and disinfected (even better: autoclaved) after each use, and if you need proof, have the technician show you the cleaning area or solution. Does he or she use fresh, clean instruments on each client? Make sure all files, buffers, and anything else that touches you is freshly clean before you allow the technician to begin. Also, the technician should wash his or her hands before and after each client, or wear fresh gloves. Clean towels should be used for every client.
Avoid having your cuticles cut. Cuticles serve a purpose — they protect the nail bed from allowing infection to enter. If you like how your nails look with them pushed back, ask for cuticle softener, rather than cuticle scissors. After the cuticles are softened, the technician can wipe away, or gently scrape away, the excess with a fresh orangewood stick.
Pedicures can be a bit riskier because of the hot water and tub. Make sure the tub is thoroughly drained, cleaned, and disinfected between clients. The steps where clients typically step with bare feet also should be cleaned and disinfected between clients.
One way to avoid many of these concerns is to buy your own manicure or pedicure kit and bring it with you. Make sure you clean and disinfect your kit after each use, even if you are the only one using it. You also can bring your own nail polish, base coat, and top coat. Remove your old nail polish at home, or bring nail polish remover with you.
The salon and technician should both be licensed by their state governing board, usually the board of cosmetology. The licenses should be clearly displayed.
If sanitary precautions are not being taken at your salon, politely but firmly tell the owner what needs to change and what you expect. Contact your state cosmetology board if you develop a nail infection, fungus, or other condition as a result of visiting a salon, or if you see unsanitary practices. – Lisa Palladino
November 5th, 2009 — Health
Heart Health
Recreational tennis constitutes moderate aerobic exercise, and research shows that 3 hours of this type of exercise weekly can cut heart disease risk by half, according to Cleveland Clinic physiologist Gordon Blackburn (see Resources).
Calorie Burning
- Blackburn notes that playing tennis burns more calories than other popular recreational activity such as bowling and golfing.
Interval Training
- Tennis involves quick bursts of activity with intermittent resting, called interval training. Interval training is beneficial for the heart and enhances muscle performance.
Additional Physical Benefits
- Tennis works many muscle groups at the same time and improves balance, dexterity, mobility and agility.
Mental Health Benefits
- Tennis is beneficial for the mind. The sport is challenging, and the player must learn to plan rapidly and act while thinking tactically.
Expert Insight
- A study published in a 2007 issue of the “British Journal of Sports Medicine” found that recreational tennis players gained significant health benefits, including aerobic fitness, lower body fat, lower cholesterol, reduced risk of heart disease and better bone health (see Resources). – eHow
September 28th, 2009 — Babies, Health
Okay Wives… Get Ready because this is a lot to swallow…. Literally!
The First Time I had heard about women eating their own placenta after childbirth was from a hippie yoga instructor named Sunshine ( She mixed it with Scrambled Eggs…. Uhhhh, Vomit!! ) not to mention, I almost pasted out from Shock. Then while recently at a Barbecue, a pregnant women had informed me there are professional companies who will come and freeze dry your placenta and encapsulate it into pills to digest like vitamins! Now this I can actually wrap my head around considering how beneficial it is to your body after birth… Continue reading below for the benefits of this ancient tradition.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with this practice… Let me break it down for you. After you give birth, the placenta follows after the baby. The Placenta is connected to the fetus and basically takes all the nutrients from your body to give to your growing baby. Nearly every mammal consumes the placenta after it’s young is born. Many cultures practice eating the placenta after giving birth, making you post partum recovery much faster. There are many ways to prepare your placenta for ingestion. Some women feel comfortable creating a special recipe for it. Some women even consume it raw…. Yuck! These methods will work, but they limit the length of time you are able to utilize the benefits of placenta to a matter of days.
The new preferred method of ingestion is by capsule. The placenta can be dried, ground, and encapsulated. The capsules can then be taken daily for a number of weeks. You reap all of the healthful benefits of placenta quickly, easily and discreetly, and the capsules will last for years.
Continue taking your prenatal vitamin after the baby comes, for as long as you are nursing. Women who take their placenta capsules tend to have better postpartum experiences, avoid the baby blues, have an increase in energy, and an increase in milk production. Traditional Chinese Medicine has used placenta for centuries to treat issues such as fatigue and insufficient lactation, and scientific studies have bolstered the use of placenta for these conditions. Using the placenta for your postpartum recovery is a very easy and natural way to help you feel better after the birth.
Women who have taken placenta capsules report positive results in an overwhelming number of cases. Some women have even reported feeling positive effects as quickly as the same afternoon of the day they began their first dose. Women who were already feeling “weepy”, or experiencing other early signs of the baby blues, have felt better within days. Although the current scientific research is exciting, we have barely begun to scratch the surface of the potential benefits of placentophagy. Considering that placenta is a completely natural substance, created by a woman’s own body, encapsulation of the placenta is definitely worth considering as part of a holistic postpartum recovery for every expectant woman.
With proper preparation, the majority of women can avoid the baby blues. If you intend to use the placenta for your postpartum recovery, you must take measures to ensure the placenta is handled properly from the moment of birth. Placentas can, and do, get ruined from improper handling. A woman who births in a hospital has to adhere to the guidelines and policies in place at their facility of choice. In some cases, there is no written policy, and mothers are then subjected to the whim of the staff on duty at the time they deliver. If you want to take your placenta home after its birth, you must have a plan before you walk through the doors in labor. Your chance of success will increase greatly. From what I’ve heard it can costs anywhere between $100 – 300 Dollars.
For More Information Please Visit
July 18th, 2009 — Health
I love these little helpful medicines. They are small and can be tossed into any purse for sper of the moment relief on the go.
While some health problems are large, complicated and frightening, most problems are not the end of the world. A kind word and a little help can get you on your way. Help Remedies was created to make solving simple health issues simple. We find the best solution there is, and take away everything else. By stripping away some of the complexity and fear mongering of the health industry, we hope to make medicine friendlier and more accessible, and in doing so empower people to make their own health decisions. We think a little help, honesty and kindness will go a long way
Our packaging is made of molded paper pulp and a bio plastic made primarily of corn. We use these materials because they are interesting to look at, and they are compostable—which means one day, they might become part of a large tree. Maybe you can cut down that tree and make it into a speedboat.
June 3rd, 2009 — Domestic Goddess, Health
Load up the kids and head to the market. The kg271/Bucket model will carry your precious cargo and help you complete all your errands in style and keep one less car off the road. The Bucket Model comes equipped with a removable seat and two seatbelts, so your kids an ride Safetly. Disc brakes and 8spd SRAM components are just a few of the specifications that make the Madsen as tough as it is elegant.$1,299.00
May 11th, 2009 — Beauty, Health
Green Bug Repellents
It’s warming up, the bugs are here,
Send them buzzing away in fear,
Use repellents made the eco-friendly way,
Insects don’t like green blood anyways!
Buzz Off…Naturally!
As the weather warms up, nature’s dinner bell starts to ring and pesky insects everywhere
begin to lick their chops. Spoil their human feast by using eco-friendly insect repellents
that meet a few important guidelines.
* Stay away from products that contain the chemical DEET, which can cause headaches and severe long-term health problems.
* Use repellents that contain natural plant-derived oils such as citronella, tea tree, neem, jojoba, pennyroyal, noni, soybean, thyme, lavender, or lemon eucalyptus.
* You can even make your own green insect repellent. In a spray bottle, mix 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/3-cup witch hazel, and 5 drops of citronella, Eucalyptus oil, or any of the other essential plant oils. Shake vigorously and store in the refrigerator.
* Many eco-friendly repellents are available nationwide. Some examples include Second Skin Naturals, California Baby, Badger Balm, and Repel Lemon Eucalyptus.
For More Tips for Living Green
www.Smart2beGreen.Com
April 27th, 2009 — Health
When your child asks where babies come from, do you break a sweat and blame it on the stork? Have you had a conversation about oral sex, masturbation or contraception with your teen? If you haven’t started “the talk” with your child, sex therapist Dr. Laura Berman says you could be making a big mistake. Dr. Berman says kids today know a lot more about sex than we think they do. In fact, Dr. Berman says children are being forced to make sexual decisions by middle school, from receiving sexually explicit text messages—also called “sexting”—to feeling pressured to perform acts like oral sex. What you need to do as a parent, Dr. Berman says, is arm them with knowledge that will guide them well into adulthood. “You want to start these conversations early with your kids—before they find themselves in the circumstances where they’re having to make those healthy sexual decisions.”
Although some mothers shy away from the conversation because they don’t want to seem like they’re condoning sex, Gayle says you have to arm your daughters with as much information as you can. “Knowledge is power,” she says. Seventeen magazine editor-in-chief Ann Shoket says girls don’t only want the nuts-and-bolts talk about sex—they want to learn more about the feelings that can come with it. “It’s clear that these girls are doing very advanced sexual things,” she says. “And yet what they really want their mothers to talk about is the emotional side. They want their mothers to talk to them about: ‘How do I know if this boy is just using me? How do I know if I’m ready for it?’ That’s the part where mothers play a huge role that the Internet or their friends just can’t do.”
Dr. Berman says it’s important to start an ongoing conversation when your kids are young that will continue to develop as they get older. “They want a sense from a very early age, not so much about the nuts and bolts about sex, but that it’s okay to ask questions about their body,” Dr. Berman says. “If you wait to have that one big talk until they’re 13, 14, it’s often too late.”
Dr. Berman says making them feel good about themselves is key. “Feeling good about their bodies. Feeling good about their genitals. Feeling good about their sexual function. Feeling empowered about who they are as people and as sexual beings. And then that makes the path so much easier when they’re in their teen years.”
When it comes to teenagers, Dr. Berman urges all parents to stay calm when approached for information. Overreacting, she says, could make your child hesitant to come to you in the future. “Listen—don’t just lecture them,” Dr. Berman says. “[Encourage them] to ask questions about the words and the terms and the things they’re hearing about at school, to ask questions about what they’re seeing in the media.
Dr. Berman says the main goal of any sex talk is to communicate that sex is a very normal and natural thing. There are three main topics to cover: male and female anatomy, the mechanics of making a baby…and becoming familiar and comfortable with your genitals.
Dr. Berman says it’s important to talk to kids about getting to know their own bodies—and that many kids have been exploring themselves since they were babies. “It’s about soothing,” Dr. Berman says. “It’s not about sexual arousal and the sexual connotations that we put on it. It’s just about normalizing it for them and setting the seeds that this is normal.”
According to the sex survey, only 35 percent of mothers teach what Dr. Berman says is one of the most important lessons about sex—pleasure. “We need to teach them about pregnancy prevention and STD prevention, but we also have to teach them about the gift that sexuality is,” she says.
This is why Dr. Berman says it’s important to have a big talk with your child when she hits high school about masturbation and orgasms. “This is something that’s normal and natural, and if you’re talking to a girl from a young age about this, it’s a natural thing,” she says.
Teaching your daughters to take control of their own pleasure can help them avoid unhealthy sexual experiences. “You’re teaching them about their own body and pleasuring themselves and taking the reins of their own sexuality so that they don’t ever have to depend on any other teenage boy to do it for them,” Dr. Berman says.
Dr. Berman says an easy way to start the pleasure conversation is to point out specific body parts to your daughter on a diagram, encouraging her to explore her own body in private. “You are the best ones to teach them,” Dr. Berman says. “You are the one who can incorporate your values.”
Still nervous? Dr. Berman says you may need to become more familiar with your own body. “Learn all of this stuff yourself,” she says. “When you are comfortable, that’s when you can really raise a sexually empowered daughter.”
In the study, only 4 percent of girls say their beliefs about sex are mostly influenced by their mothers—this is your chance to change that statistic. “You are arming them with the information they need to make wise sexual decisions,” Dr. Berman says. “You want to be their main sex educators—not their friends who are going to give them the misinformation that you don’t want them to have.”
“You need to start early, letting them know you’re open to conversations, answering their questions without judgment,” Dr. Berman says. “Tell them that information does not mean permission.” – Oprah.Com
To Download The Sex Ed Handbook, Go To:
www.Oprah.Com
April 5th, 2009 — Babies, Health
Bisphenol A Controversy
In February 2007, the public advocacy group Environment California Research & Policy Center published a report titled Toxic Baby Bottles: Scientific Study Finds Leaching Chemicals in Clear Plastic Baby Bottles. The report describes the harmful effects of the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA), a developmental, reproductive, and neural toxicant found in polycarbonate plastic—the material used to make the vast majority of baby bottles.
Soon after this report was released, a billion dollar class-action lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles against five major baby bottle manufacturers over the dangers of BPA. The lawsuit alleges that potentially harmful levels of BPA can leach from polycarbonate baby bottles, when they are heated, and migrate into the contained liquid. The California legislature has also debated the safety of BPA, and next year supervisors in San Francisco will consider a citywide ban on BPA.
Chemical companies and baby bottle manufacturers claim human exposure to low doses of BPA is harmless. Yet there is growing scientific evidence to the contrary. In August 2007, an expert government panel found there is concern that bisphenol A causes neural and behavior problems among children who have been exposed to the chemical before or after birth.
Many consumers are unaware of this controversy and continue to purchase polycarbonate baby bottles, having never heard of BPA or the dangers it may pose for their families.
BPA is also widespread in bodies of water such as rivers and estuaries, and in landfills, where it leaches into the surrounding ecosystems.
The resources below are intended to provide you with greater detail about the bisphenol a controversy.
- Green to Grow
April 5th, 2009 — Babies, Health
The Baby Bottle Buying Guide:
Glass: Glass baby bottles, which don’t leach toxic chemicals, are a time-tested alternative to polycarbonate plastic. Glass bottles are, of course, breakable, and put children at risk of injury in the case of an accident. Additionally, glass can chip or crack when sterilized, which could lead to glass splinters in baby’s beverage. As with plastic, careful and regular inspections of the bottle allow parents to detect any flaws in the glass. Recycle any scratched, cracked, or chipped glass bottle.
#2 HDPE, #4 LDPE and #5 PP Plastics:These opaque bottles are made of either polypropylene or polyethylene, which are not known to leach carcinogens or endocrine disruptors. Look on the bottom of the bottle for the recycling symbol: polyethylene has #2 (high-density polyethylene, HDPE) or #4 (low-density polyethylene, LDPE) in the chasing-arrow triangle, and polypropylene (PP) has #5. Polycarbonate bottles are #7 and may be labeled “Other” or “PC.” If the bottle isn’t labeled, call the manufacturer.
PES Plastics: Although polyether sulphone, or PES, hasn’t been studied as thoroughly as #2, #4 and #5 plastics, lab studies have found that it does not leach BPA or phthalates (a hormone-disrupting plasticizer commonly used in #3 PVC plastics). PES plastics may be labeled with a #7 like polycarbonate is, since both plastics fall into the “Other” category. If you see a #7 and aren’t sure if it’s PES or PC, call the manufacturer before using it.
Silicone Nipples: Replace standard rubber nipples (amber-colored) with clear, silicone nipples. Not only are silicone nipples free of cancer-causing nitrosamines, but they last longer.
-
Before first use, sterilize bottles in boiling water.
-
Inspect bottles and nipples before each use and discard those with cracks or scratches.
-
To avoid dangerous hot spots, breast milk or formula should never be heated in the microwave. Stovetop heating can cause glass bottles to burst and plastic ones to melt, especially when supervised by sleep-deprived parents. Instead, place the filled bottle in a bowl of hot water and swirl it periodically.
-
To avoid tooth decay and injuries, don’t let baby sleep with or walk around with the bottle.
Usage Tips- TheGreenGuide.Com
March 21st, 2009 — Health
DR 911When I’m Sick the last thing I want to do is throw on sweat pants and traps all the way to my Doctors office, That is if they can fit you in Their busy scheduale. Enter Dr. 911, That is if you live in the Manhatten/ Brooklyn Area. A board-certified emergency physician whose stethoscope has seen many a Lenox Hill patient, will quickly triage the condition and attend to everything from ear infections to migraines to lacerations. No surly secretary, no waiting room. Although with the likes of Devi Kroell, Elie Tahari, and the cast of Gossip Girl on patient rotation, we almost wish there were a waiting room – almost.
Home, office and hotel visits 24 hours a day/
7 days a week
Adult and pediatric care
Immediate assessment and medical treatment
Focused physical exams
Medications prescribed and renewed
Corporate services/wellness
Diagnostic tests
Routine immunizations/screenings
School/camp physicals
Student medical care
Travel medicine
Referrals to specialists
DR 911 was founded by Dr. Robert Glatter in 2007. DR 911’s mission is to provide the highest level of medical care to you and your family, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the comfort of your home, office or hotel. Our personalized service is prompt and always delivered with compassion .
Dr. 911 doesn’t take insurance, but Standard house calls begin at $500 but patients can opt for a subscription-based program in which members pay a yearly fee for all-inclusive services.
For DR 911 services contact 646-761-6685
visit www.dr911md.com.
March 21st, 2009 — Health
Being a Good wife means keeping your family healthy. Below are some great tips by Dr. Oz to make sure your family gets the best health care they deserve. And if God forbid something terrible happened, you would know which hospital to go to and which steps to take when arriving there.
Most patients don’t do a great job of communicating with their doctors, because patients often give too little pertinent information to go on. Remember, just like a detective, doctors are looking for the facts. At the same time, they may also give us too many distracting or off-topic details. The first sign of a smart patient is that telltale document they produce during their first visit or their 50th—it’s their health profile. This is the sign of a patient who means business, one who will challenge us to be at our absolute best and who won’t waste time and money on redundant and unnecessary efforts.
Dr. Oz says there’s a straightforward advantage to staying infection-free in a hospital. “You’re in an environment that has sick people in it who have infections themselves,” he says. “It’s so easy to spread to you.”
- Ask people to wash their hands before touching you.
- Keep hand sanitizer by your bed.
- Try to avoid bacteria-promoting items, like flowers and jewelry.
- Ask doctors to clean their stethoscopes. “Did you ever think where the stethoscope was before he examined you?” Dr. Oz says. “It was on someone else’s chest, and that same bacteria gets carried to you.”
- Clean television remotes.
- Ask a doctor to remove his tie, or else tuck it into his shirt. “How many men here have ever washed their tie?” Dr. Oz says. “Nobody. No one washes a tie. Doctors don’t either.”
To Find a Great Doctor, Ask an ER Nurse
Grill the ER nurse-manager at the best local hospital. A nurse in the intensive-care unit is also a good choice. These registered nurses get a battlefield view of doctors at their best and worst.
Go Board-Certified The American Board of Medical Specialties recognizes 24 areas of medical specialty, including anesthesiology, cardiology, internal medicine and pediatrics. Search for board-certified physicians at ABMS.org. To find the best hospital for you—whether it’s a small community hospital, a hospital in your rural area or a large teaching hospital—go for an accredited hospital listed on the Joint Commission’s Quality Check website at JCAHO.org. Joint Commission accreditation is the Gold Seal of Approval for a hospital—and that’s what you want. The Joint Commission also evaluates ambulatory clinics, home health agencies, home medical equipment companies, nursing homes, laboratories, behavioral healthcare facilities and more.
Know Your Hospital’s Numbers
Practice makes perfect. Research has shown that for several common operations, hospitals that perform a specific number or more of that operation every year have better success rates. Your surgeon should be able to give you this info, as should the hospital’s information line.
Have the Surgeon Draw a Picture
Surgery performed on the wrong limb? Or wrong person? Absurd! Unbelievable! Except it really does happen. You know that. You see it in the news more frequently than anyone would like. The Joint Commission requires the surgeon to literally mark the site of your surgery (for example, left elbow, right side of abdomen, wherever appropriate) before the operation. And the docs and nurses will triple-check your identity to make sure that you’re the right patient before they even lift a scalpel.
Get Thee to a Hospital
How are you feeling? Fine? Never better? You need to find a hospital. The perfect time to scout for the best hospital is when you don’t need one. Most people don’t give it a thought until a paramedic is looking them in the eye and asking, “Do you have a preference of which hospital you want to go to?”
Insist on Being Scanned
In the hospital, have staff check your hospital ID bracelet before they give you any medication, take blood or wheel you off for a test. If your hospital uses bar code scanners on ID bracelets, insist they scan you every time.
How Healthy Is Your Health Insurance?
Many of us have few options in picking health insurance, because we’re tied to the plan from our jobs. But when you are lucky enough to have choices, here are some important questions to ask:
- How does the insurer rate with the National Committee on Quality Assurance? Find out at NCQA.org. Also, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners lets you check out individual companies at NAIC.org.
- Which hospitals and doctors are in the plan’s network? Are the hospitals Joint Commission–accredited? If your doctor isn’t in the network, ask your company’s HR department to twist the insurer’s arm to add him or her.
- What will happen if I get cancer, get pregnant or become disabled? These are the biggies that really test insurance.
- What’s the maximum lifetime benefit? It should be at least $5 million.
- At what age will my children be cut off from the plan?
One of the most important decisions you will ever make—and one you’ll likely make more than once —is choosing your doctor. Choose wisely and you could rest easy for many years to come. – Dr. Oz
January 16th, 2009 — Health, Tips
Yesterday I had my 6 Month Dental Cleaning… No Cavities of Course! And while I’m Obbsessive about Brushing, Tongue Scrapping and flossing twice a day. I Learned this Shocking Information… FLOSSING EVERYDAY ADDS 5 YEARS TO YOUR LIFE! Flossing reduces inflammation in the mouth. When your gums are inflammed they produce bacteria. The Bacteria from your mouth goes through your body into your veins and arteries causing everything from Heart Disease to Pre -Mature Birth. They also recommend using a tongue scrapper, which also cutts down on bad breathe. Think of all the money you’ll save on Gum and Mints!
My Favorite Floss by Oral B. and Tongue Scrapper by Dentek
November 28th, 2008 — Health
Almost every woman at some point in her life was enrolled in a ballet class. Most women took it when they were very little and eventually dropped it. Who hasn’t seen one of those adorable little girl ballet recitals? Some stick with it and become the super thin, amazingly graceful professional ballerinas. Their dance is a joy to watch and every now and then… you wish you could lift your leg over your head like that.
While you may not be able to lift your leg over your head, taking a ballet course can definitely improve your physical fitness. Here’s a look at some of the things ballet will help you to improve.
Flexibility.Ballet is all about extension and just how far can you stretch yourself. With ballet, you’ll stretch muscles you didn’t even know existed. Your legs, arms, back, neck and even your chest (yes your chest!) will all have increased flexibility. Believe it or not, with increased flexibility everything becomes a little more comfortable. You are able to sit in more relaxed positions and all your stretching movement becomes easier. (Imagine reaching for that item on the top shelf.)
Strength.
It takes some serious strength to stand up straight while extending your leg way behind you. Ballet requires some extreme positions. While many of these positions are difficult, they are doable with some practice, even by the novice. With your extra strength comes better muscle tone. Ballet can end up making you look fabulous!
Balance.
It might not look like it but a pirouette requires superior balance. Almost every step in ballet requires excellent balance. All that spinning, lifting, leaping, and twirling takes some serious balance to keep from falling over or tripping. If you’re the quintessential klutz, ballet can help you regain some lost dignity by improving your balance.
Whether you’re looking for an activity for yourself or for your child, ballet offers many potential benefits for both body and mind. It’s a total body workout that requires both discipline and focus but is also quite enjoyable. Plus, ballet is usually taught in a group setting which gives you the opportunity to interact with other dancers. Here are some of the many benefits of ballet:
Ballet benefit: Promotes better postureBallet exercises require the use of good posture and alignment. For this reason, many ballet classes teach postural alignment exercises which help to promote good posture and create awareness of good alignment as you carry out your daily activities.
Ballet benefit: Sculpts and tones your body
The movements taught in ballet classes are designed to tone and firm muscles without developing bulk so you develop long and lean muscles as opposed to thick, bulky ones.
Ballet benefit: Develops poise and body awareness
When you take ballet lessons, you’re taught a series of simple exercises called the barre. These exercises are designed to help build poise and grace which are necessary traits that a successful ballerina must have. These exercises are repeated at each class to help build balance, strength, and poise.
Ballet benefit: Helps to relieve stress
When you perform ballet exercises and movements, it relaxes your mind and removes you from the cares of the world. Your focus shifts to concentrating on each movement and the placement of your legs and arms. Many people report they can actually feel their stress melt away when they focus on ballet.
Ballet benefit: Promotes creative expression
Ballet is not simply a form of exercise, although it does provide many of the health benefits of exercise. It’s also a form of artistic expression. You interpret each dance movement in your own unique way and it becomes your own personal expression. This can be quite therapeutic for both mind and body.
Ballet benefit: Promotes flexibility.
The movements of ballet are quite effective in promoting flexibility. Ballet uses muscles that are seldom used in other sports, giving you a total body flexibility workout.
My Favorite Ballet Class :
The Edge 1020 Cole Avenue, 4th Floor Hollywood, Ca 90038
Begging Ballet with Edouard Kouzmitch 7:00 – 8:00 pm
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
be perfectly 
